Renault Not Trying to Undermine Trulli, Says Briatore

Renault have denied trying to undermine Italy's Jarno Trulli since he announced he would be leaving the Formula One team at the end of the season.

Trulli, winner of the Monaco Grand Prix, told Italian reporters after qualifying ninth for his home race that he suspected some people were playing mind games with him in the hope that he might quit early.

"I think Jarno is suffering from a syndrome," Sunday's Gazzetta dello Sport quoted team boss Flavio Briatore as saying however. "What interest could we have in making life difficult for him when we are still fighting for second place in the Constructors' Championship and we need to get both cars to the finish and in the points?

"It's madness. There is no wish to distance him from us because we are paying him to the end of the season. He could also benefit from demonstrating all his worth to Toyota."

Trulli is fourth in the Championship, a point ahead of Spanish teammate Fernando Alonso, and expected to be confirmed at Toyota after announcing in July that he was leaving Renault.

Despite qualifying on pole position for the last race in Belgium, Trulli has not scored for four races.

"Now some people say my mind's not there any more but I am stubborn, even if some people might want me to leave sooner. I will continue to push," the ANSA news agency quoted him as saying.

"(Briatore) tells me I have changed, that I don't believe in the car any more. When things go right, it's down to the car. When they go wrong, it's the driver's fault."

Trulli was half a second slower than Alonso in Monza qualifying.

"I really couldn't do more than that," Trulli said. "I've been saying for two months that the car is not the same as it was, that it betrays me when I take it to the limit.

"In seven years I have never had a teammate outqualify me here," he added. "Fernando? I know that he is supposed to be in front of me at the moment and here we had yet another demonstration. He is the Renault driver now."